Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators: San Francisco North & East Bay Region and Around.
As the former Co-Regional Advisor and Assistant Regional Advisor for twelve years for this region of the outstanding worldwide organization, check out my tips, suggestions and organization links!
Our Oakland Intensives for Picture Book and Novel writers were spot on and sold out. The attendees were terrific and the faculty of authors Bill Konigsberg and Katheryn Otoshi, and associate editors Taylor Norman (Chonicle Books) and Susan Dobinick (FSG), complimented us on the fine work they read in the critiques. We billed the Intensives for developed writers -- and…
Our SCBWI programs are blessed with many devoted volunteers and more join every day to help us put on terrific programs. Our May 16 Intensives sold out in a little over 3 weeks. There might still be room on the waiting lists. Intensives are small group workshops that help writers and writer/illustrators dig deeper into their craft and help diagnose…
Our SCBWI Region ended the year with a terrific Faire and Holiday Mixer on Dec. 6th! Over 85 members and non-members joined us to learn all about our region and the opportunities, plus we had the greatest food brought by all! The Oakland Library was a wonderful midpoint location for our celebration. Everyone loved the time to ask questions, meet…
I have gone to many trade shows and managed many in my professional career, along with board meetings, seminars, conferences and more. It dawned on me that there is no way for SCBWI members to get answers to their questions about the organization -- so how about a trade show - where there is a person for each topic area…
It's true. This can happen. We ran an exhausting Fall Conference and 3 Intensives in October, followed by preparation for our new year's schedule, training of 2 wonderful new volunteers, looking for a new conference site, preparing for our first ever SCBWI Faire scheduled for Dec. 6th, and preparing for our January and May Intensives. The result, between work and…
We have been in a huge whirl of the many, many preparations for this tremendous event. We expanded the conference and added a day of Intensives. So many of our attendees are registered for both days. We didn't know what to expect. Our speaker lineup is really a blockbuster. I find these events exhausting and stimulating at the same time.…
We have been bubbling over with new SCBWI events, new speakers and lots of new volunteers helping out. Children's writers and illustrators are the most kind and welcoming crowd. How could we not be? We write for the best audience in the world - CHILDREN. We have some great meetings coming up with top local speakers on craft and taking…
I saw Gennifer speak at one of my first local SCBWI meetings many years ago at Redwood High School. She was lovely, helpful and encouraging to all. She went on to publish several books, including the delightful Al Capone series. So it is really wonderful that she is able to come back to our local Marin meeting to speak once…
The Los Angeles SCBWI (Society of Children's Writers and Illustrators) Conference was packed with over 1200 people. Like a conference in any industry, you need to have a plan to tackle getting the information you need. I introduced Melissa Manlove, editor with Chronicle Books, as one of my regional advisor (RA) duties. She was terrific. Check out Chronicle's site for…
At the SCBWI national conference in Los Angeles 4 years ago, I attended a wonderful workshop by SCBWI regional advisor Sue Ford. (She writes under Sue Uhlig. She was RA in Kansas at the time and is now RA in Oregon!) While I'm published in other industries like health care, I did not have published work in children's literature. (And…